Region | Palestinian Territories

Livni calls on Olmert to quit

The Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign as the fallout from a report on last year's disastrous war on Lebanon continued.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 23:38 May 3, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: EPA
  • Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni speaks after her hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
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Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign as the fallout from a report on last year's disastrous war on Lebanon continued.

The pressure on Olmert to resign has increased dramatically after the first public call from a senior member of his cabinet.

Livni said that she had personally told the beleagured Prime Minister to quit, adding that she would then seek to take over as leader of his centrist Kadima party.

After meeting with Olmert, she toild reporters: "I told the prime minister that I thought to resign was the right thing to do.

"There are others saying what I have been saying. I believe
the prime minister listens to things that are said. I don't know
what the outcome will be," she added.

Olmert has vowed to stay in power, even though he was heavily criticised by the Winograd Report into the July 2006 attacks on Lebanon.

One minister has already resigned in protest, while senior colleqgue Avigdor Yitzhaki has also advised Olmert to stand down.

Livni has also said she would oppose an early parliamentary election in Israel, arguing that Kadima should continue in power.

"Kadima needs to choose its leadership in a democratic
manner, in primary, and when the time comes I plan to submit my candidacy.

"Now is the time to restore the public's trust in the government."

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